Horse-collar fastener.



PATBNTED DEC. 29, 1903.

J. R. ROSE.

HORSE COLLAR FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

I Li (Ill/I11 In m UNITED STATES Patented flecembe'r 29, 1903.

JOHN ROMI'NE ROSE, F RUTHVEN, IOWA.

HORSE-COLLAR FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 748,017, dated December29, 1903.

Application filed December 26, 1902. Serial No. 136,686. (No model-l Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN ROMINE ROSE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ruthven, in the county of Palo Alto and State of Iowa, haveinvented a new and useful Horse- Oollar Fastener, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention has relation to means for fastening and releasing theends of a horse collar at the top or above the neck of the horse topermit the collar to be taken 01f or put on and secured in place.

It is the object of the invention to provide improvements in devices ofthe character mentioned, which will secure the fastening means morefirmly and securely together than heretofore, keep the latch in properposition to insure the automatic locking of the parts when broughttogether, and provide against sharp corners or edges coming into contactwith the hame-straps and chafing or cutting them.

The invention consists of improvements I hereinafter described andclaimed which meet or fulfil the above-specified objects.

Reference is to be had to the annexed dra wings, and to the lettersof'reference marked thereon, forming a part of this specification, thesame letters designating the same parts or features, as the case may be,wherever they occur. Of the said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of a horse-collar attachment constructed in accordance with theinvention. Fig. 2 is a front View, partly in section, of the same, theparts being in their normal positions. Fig. 3 is a similar view showingthe latch in a partly-raised position. Fig. 4 is a perspective Viewshowing the parts of the fastener detached and in the operativepositions which they assume when about to be engaged. Fig. 5 is a detailview of the latch. In the drawings, a b designate the two main membersof my improved fastening device, each of which members consists of acurved plate provided with flanges or face-plates c (1, respectively, attheir meeting ends, said flanges being cut away to form depressions intheir outer edges. From a central point on the said end of the member aat the base of its flange there projects a catch 6, beveled at its outerend, as at f, and provided with a notch 9 back of its beveled portion,as shown. The member bis provided with a slot or opening h in its flanged of a size and form to permit the catch e to freely pass therethroughwhen the parts are brought together.

'2; designates a latch having an inverted-U shape in cross-section andhaving a shank or extended part j, by which the said latch is pivotedupon the flange d, as at 70. This latch is so formed that it may seatitself in the depressions in the outer edges of the flanges with itsouter surface not higher than their extremities.

Z is a lug forming a stop cast or otherwise formed on the flange 01above the pivotal point of the latch to limit the upward movement of thelatter when fastening or unfastening the collar, so that the said latchmay be sure to drop down by its own gravity after having been lifted upas 'far as it will be allowed to be by the stop Z.

The notch g in the catch is wide enough to allow the lower edge of theside 'm of the latch to drop therein when the catch is passed fully homethrough the slot h, and the beveled portion of the said catch issufficiently high along the line adjacent to the notch to lift the latchfar enough to permit the upper edge of the flange c to pass under thelower edge of the side it of the latch, so as to not only permit theflanges or face-plate to come together, but allow the latch to drop downastride of them and permit the side m to engage the notch in the catch,as just explained.

In order to obviate the necessity of raising the latch to a great orunnecessary height, I form the side n with a beveled edge extending fromor near its free end toward its pivotal point in a substantially radialline, as shown at 0.

The upper surface of the latch above the upper edges of the flanges orface-plates is rounded, as before indicated, which is important, sinceit, with the position of the latch in the flanged depression, avoidschafing the hame-straps.

p designates the arms, and q the bindingplates, of usual construction,adapted to be IOC the two flanges together by the sides of the latchdropping astride of said flanges and also by the engagement of the latchwith the notch of the catch. This secures a very firm and secure lockingof the parts together, which is important.

When the members are disconnected, all that is necessary to do to fastenthem is to move or bring the two face-plates or flanges together, whenthe catch 6 will pass through the slot h, the bevel portion of the catchraising the latch high enough to allow the said face-plates to cometogether and the catch projecting through the slot far enough to permitthe side m to engage the notch g. This operation is entirely automatic,and the position of the latch to secure the performance of its functionsis insured by the stop Z, which prevents it from being raised throughmore than ninety degrees, not to drop back by its own gravity.

What I claim as new and as of my invention is 1. In a horse-collarfastener, the combination with a pair of members having upstandingmeeting flanges,of a gravity-latch pivoted to one flange and having aplate to overlap the other for maintaining said flanges in meetingengagement, said plate having its lower edge downwardly inclined fromits inner toward its outer end, and a stop for limiting the upwardmovement of the latch when the inclinededge of the plate reaches a pointparallel with and in position to release the adjacent flange.

2. In a horse-collar fastener, the combination wit-h a pair of membershaving upstandin g meeting flanges, of a gravity-latch pivoted to oneflange and having a plate to overlap theother for maintaining saidflanges in meeting engagement, said plate having its lower edgedownwardly inclined from its inner toward its outer end, a stop forlimiting the upward movement of the latch when the inclined edge of theplate reaches a point parallel with and in position to release theadjacent flange, one of said flanges being provided with a slot, and acatch carried by the other member and extending through the slot forengagement with the latch.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN ROMINE ROSE.

